


I'll Take Cream With That

by Bonster



Category: Orange is the New Black
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-10
Updated: 2013-11-10
Packaged: 2018-01-01 01:16:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonster/pseuds/Bonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nicky Nichols works at Red's Coffee and Pastry. Alex is a customer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Take Cream With That

**Author's Note:**

  * For [paperclipbitch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperclipbitch/gifts).



> I hope you don't hate this, my dear! I love so many of your works, so I was vastly intimidated to try this. I hope it's okay D:

Nicky Nichols works at Red's Coffee and Pastry ("The quality speaks for itself, you don't need fancy names when your goods are this good," Red said.).

'Work' is probably a huge fucking stretch of the word, considering she mostly just drinks coffee and heckles customers who look like they could use the heckling. Really, what she does is public service more than work.

Her favorite customer to heckle is a tall drink of water named Alex the Great. Well, Nicky added 'the Great' to the name on the cup every time, so now, it's fact.

Alex the Great had been coming in the shop every Thursday for a solid few months. Only Thursday, which was a little weird, but Nicky went with it. The woman was beautiful, wry, and maybe Nicky more than a little wanted her. When a Thursday passes and Alex doesn't come in, Nicky fights off disappointment by raiding the day's cheesecake. Red may yell at her or look disappointed, but Nicky needs a fix, god dammit. In another life, she'd totally do heroin or crack or something, but in this life, she has her crushes and her motherfucking cheesecake, okay.

That Alex means a lot more than Nicky can articulate, she doesn't dwell on for very long. She has cheesecake and fruit. Red lets sympathy show through in ways other than giving Nicky an hour off early. She gives her cheesecake three days in a row.

Alex comes in on Sunday, looking harried and rushed. Her appearance usually so put together looks hastily done and her buttons are uneven. Her hair is a bit tangled and haphazard.

Nicky, who both wants to admit and not admit that she missed Alex on Thursday, says, "Your buttons are uneven, god damn, what is this, you need a tailor or what?"

Alex breathes out like she's irritated, then her face softens. "Maybe I do. If the tailor wants to pay special attention to make sure it fits." Alex winks, smiles a little.

Nicky declares it a victory, and she does not think about the days she spent hoping Alex was okay. And that Thursday hopefully meant the same to her as it did to Alex, when it probably didn't.

 When she takes Alex's order the next Thursday (because Alex has started coming in on Thursdays again, not two weeks after), she tries not to bat her eyelashes, but man. She's tired of dancing around things she wants. She wants to go for it. She thinks Alex wants to go for it too.

So, fuck it. Nicky goes for it.

She writes her number on Alex's cup. Adds 'call soon, dance card's almost full', even though her dance card is anything but filled out. Alex has been the only one on her radar, Red's cups of flavored coffee and tasty desserts aside.

On a Monday afternoon, a couple weeks after giving Alex her number and freaking out that Alex hasn't called, Alex shows up. Nicky's all jagged edges and grumpy murmurings on Mondays. She's not sure if she can handle 1) a break in routine and 2) Alex the Great in her glory. And she especially doubts if she can handle said glory if it's not directed solely at her.

But man, is Alex glorious.

Alex's hair is shiny and conditioned and silky. Her outfit is a tight corset and pinstripe pants, flattering to her figure and hugs her curves so good. There's swagger in her stride as she approaches the counter.

Nicky's never been one to wear tight clothes. She's wearing Red's uniform of a green shirt (with a pocket up top) and a plain black pair of pants. She doesn't feel armored to take on a fully amped Alex.

And Alex is amped, let Nicky tell you.

Alex's smile is graced to all around the shop, but it's super sharp and smart toward Nicky. It shows that Alex is maybe just as interested in her as she is in Alex. It's a predator's smile, but there's hints of tenderness. If Nicky squints, which she totally does.

Nicky likes that, the predator. Nicky craves that right there, the way Alex's attention is so laser-focused. Nicky's always had an addictive personality.

When Alex doesn't come in the next Thursday, or the next, Nicky keeps her cool. Or at least vocally says so. Because Red can be a nosy bitch, with motherly tendencies, even if she's a strict, crazy, Russian mobster's wife. Which, she is. So Nicky's not wrong in that assessment.

When Alex hasn't called or shown up for a month, well. Nicky can take a hint. She's disappointed, but whatever. Maybe Alex has shit going on in her life.

When Alex sneaks in on a Wednesday, hair dull, eyes haunted, Nicky sits her at a table, and brings her her order.

"You don't have to tell me what's up, but if you want, I'm here to listen. No judging. Judging's bad for the complexion anyway," Nicky says to Alex.

Alex very slightly smiles, firms up her grip on her coffee and inhales it. She says, "Wanna get out of here?"

Nicky has never tossed her apron so fast, even before when the possibility of getting laid was before her. She usually set it on the hook in the back, because she wasn't someone who wanted to disrespect Red in any way. When Nicky throws her apron over her head and on the back table in the 'employee lounge', she catches Red looking at her with an indulgent smile. Red, of course, quickly hides such an expression, but Nicky takes heart that it was there.

She heads out front to Alex the Great, who may not feel great lately, but Nicky thinks is probably more than great. And she looks forward to showing her all the ways she thinks so.

They head out, over the nearby river, over that damn bridge with the cobblestone paths that usually make Nicky trip. They head toward an apartment building. Alex keys in a code and they enter through the door.

When Alex pushes Nicky, corrals her inside the elevator, hits the emergency stop, Nicky lets her, wants her to. Nicky breathes in a scent that's spicy and somehow private, and then they kiss. And kiss.


End file.
